I'm the Avenger, Shadow
by lovingtimetravelexpert
Summary: A long time ago his mentor was killed. Now he is out there seeking revenge. They call him 'Shadow'... SBI agent Sabaku no Temari has a new mission in Konohagakure. She has to support the laziest police inspector she'd ever met and catch a serial killer who plies his dreadful trade within Konoha's underground. Who is the face behind 'Shadow? - AU -
1. At the corner

A/N: I don't want to reveal anything now but just be aware that this is rated M because of violence and other adult themes in later chapters. Like always I wish you fun reading. Just don't forget to review so I'll know, if I should continue with this story.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. (And that's okay because Shikamaru and Temari did end up together. Yay!)

 **I'm the Avenger, Shadow**

Chapter 1: At the Corner

… _I'll wait._

Rushing through the cold breeze of the night he appeared behind one of those men. The men he seeks to kill.

That one turned himself around too late, shocked about the sudden feeling of wind blowing into his neck. Grabbing his head the attacker cut his throat fast before the man was able to react. Choking the man's repressed yell by cutting the throat the dark suited attacker let his body slide to the ground.

He had waited. He had waited just a split second to see fear crawling up the mans face. Letting this expression mark his face.

He was like a shadow. He was the night. No one knew of his existence at day.

No sound. Unvisable. And when he came to you, you were done for.

* * *

Again they found another victim, the throat cut and no traces left.

This time the scene of crime was set behind a factory producing artificial snow. The victims were always people working in the drug scene. Not the small dealers. It were the guards, contact men, spies and other people working for the big fishes. He disconnected slowly the structures to the real big ones. He usually stole the purse and other contents of the victims pockets, Nobody had ever saw him. At least no one that still lives.

The media gave him the name: Shadow.

Nara Shikamaru, Inspector at the Konohagakure Police Department, the KGPD, looked at the corpse spread on the asphalt wearing a scared expression. Surrounded by puddles the man was soaked wet. The urine he spilled at the moment dying was washed away already. He had died a few hours ago laying since then in the pouring rain.

Shikamaru pitied him somehow but he was slowly getting wet too. He didn't bother to take a umbrella with him. Instead he wiped the water from his forehead and bowed down to the corpse. His long black coat was grazing a puddle. While the forensic unit collected already evidence by shooting photos Shikamaru wondered how many traces the rain had already washed away.

Next to him appeared Yamanaka Ino telling him the dates of the dead man on the ground. "Ryūdoin Agira. 39 years old. Had three sons, Rokkaku, Jakō and Genshō. Worked in a bank as a higher up. He was fired due to suspected defalcation three months ago."

Shikamaru tilted his head. "Perhaps he was in debt to someone. Check his financial status for something suspicious." He stood up stemming his weight by a push on his thighs. The weight of the soaked coat was pushing on his shoulders. "Maybe this case will lead us to a further connection."

Ino nodded, motivated to give her best. Shikamaru on the other hand didn't care. He just wanted to sleep. He lit a cigarette shielding the lighter with one hand against the wind.

The only reason he became a policeman was his mentor and foster father, Sarutobi Asuma. Who died three years ago.

The official report said it was an accident but Shikamaru knew it wasn't.

Before he could drift to far into unwanted memories and melancholic thoughts he was interrupted by an officer holding a mobile phone towards him. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow. The officer mouthed the name of the Chief of Department, Tsunade. Shikamaru sighed. 'What could she want this time. Troublesome women.' Taking the mobile phone he held the earpiece at his ear. He was prepared to hear whatever harangue would wait for him. "Yes, madam?"

"It is him again, isn't it?" Tsunade's voice sounded anxious. So Shikamaru wasn't in for a harangue. Tsunade knew how serious this case was.

He looked at the corpse on the ground. "Yes."

He heard Tsunade sigh on the other end. "No traces left again?"

Shikamaru clicked his tongue. "Even if there would be this time, the rain complicated the thing." He rubbed his neck feeling his muscles tense.

Tsunade cleared her throat. Her voice showing her stealth. "Listen, not only media breathes down onto our neck. It seems they will sent someone from SBI."

Shikamaru listened more closely to what she told him. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "But this is my case."

Not giving him a pause to argue Tsunade continued. "You will work together with that person starting tomorrow."

"But Chief-"

"I'm sorry Shikamaru. I couldn't stall them any longer."

He imagined her shaking her head on the other end. She sounded like she was honestly sorry so he let the argument go. Shikamaru sighed. He stuck the cigarette between his lips to pull a hand into his pocket. "That's troublesome."

"I will see you in my office at 8 am." With that she hung up.

'Great. Now I have some pompous ass looking over my shoulder starting tomorrow.' He didn't like the idea.

He returned the mobile phone to the officer that gave it to him. Meanwhile Ackimichi Choji had walked towards him. He had been searching the area for other corpses. The police department had to make sure that there weren't any other victims left in the range of this crime. Sometimes Shadow killed two birds with one stone. Shaking his head Choji made clear that this time they were lucky just having one more person on their list.

Shikamaru scratched the bridge of his nose. "Well okay then. I would like you to control the factory. We need to know who owns it and I need a team to search the factory for traces of drugs. For all I care call for Kakashi's team."

Choji nodded before walking away.

Shikamaru inhaled the smoke slowly before stubbing out his cigarette in his mobile ashtray. 'Artificial snow. As if.' Shikamaru was tired. He just wanted to go home and take a good night of sleep. He thought about the moment he would be free to leave. He would head home, take a shower and lay himself to rest for a far to short night.

Since Shadow appeared for the first time Shikamaru's nights had become troublesomely short.

Shadow only acted on night.

So Shikamaru had often to stand up in the middle of the night just to add another person on the list of Shadow's victims. Afterward he would get only a few hours of sleep until he had to stand up again and go to work.

Life was very cruel but this was path he had chosen for himself.

This night won't be any different. The worst was that starting tomorrow a Special Agent from SBI would stick his nose into Shikamaru's case. He didn't like the thought. The Suna Bureau of Investigation wasn't known to be nice as well as their agents were feared to work with. The agent would try to take the whole control. He would boss Shikamaru around and demand all the facts he knew so far. Problem was, he was far away from solving the case. There were no traces left every time.

Shikamaru sighed. The wind was slapping the rain into his face. His usually upturned ponytail was hanging downwards already soaked wet. 'This is going to be troublesome.'

* * *

After the crime scene was secured and the corpse brought to the postmortem examination hours later, Shikamaru headed home. A few more details were now known. For instance the factory was possessed by a man named Deidara. Besides artificial snow and the illegal production of drugs, the factory had a small part were blasting explosives were fabricated.

The artificial snow looked the same as cocain in plastic bags but Shikamaru wondered why they would produce explosives. He rubbed his eyes. This didn't make any sense. However, the police would sent someone from the drug department to arrest Deidara tomorrow.

It wouldn't work, again. Deidara would have by now escaped like they always did. The police was always to slow. The officers hadn't got any fault. It was the rules they had to stick to that were guilty. They had to wait for the writ of attachment and by the time they received it, it was too late. It was always the same.

Shikamaru didn't like the idea that they would escape no matter what.

Arriving at his house Shikamaru parked his car in front of the porch. Closing the doors of his blue Volvo via remote he walked to his frontdoor.

As he entered he thought about how he wasn't here this much. Most of the time he came home to sleep a few hours and took off the next morning for work. One could see that at his imbruted garden which he didn't like to take care of even at lazy days. He did not see the sense in that.

Back then when he was a little child he would love to play in the garden. He spent most of his time in the tree house he and Asuma built together. Having built fantasies in his head and sworn to keep secrets to his friends in this place where he believed no one could intrude. He had had a happy childhood after...

At first, Shikamaru remembered now, he didn't want to built the tree house. He had been to depressed because of his parent's sudden death that wasn't long ago. Nevertheless his godfather had sheered him up somehow.

Now the tree house was rotten.

Hanging his coat besides the frontdoor he walked into the kitchen to see if something was in the fridge. He knocked of his shoes letting them be scattered in the living room. As if he had suspected the fridge was empty except for one moldy piece of cheese he hadn't liked in the first place. While wondering if he should employ a housekeeper like Ino advised him to, he stretched his arms. Since the death of Asuma he lived here alone. He hadn't liked the house since then or rather liked living here less.

He poured himself a glass Scotch wanting to take it with him upstairs. Yawning he went to the second floor to head for a warm shower. Stripping of his black shirt and blue jeans he turned to the mirror.

The suit he wore consisted of black latex.

He could take the hood off that hid his face so that he wouldn't have to change at home before appearing at the crime as Inspector Nara Shikamaru. It enabled him to leave the dead body going off to were he parked his car. There he would put on some clothes – practically those he wore the same day at work- and bind his hair in his usual style. The drug scene made it possible for him to park his car unnoticed because they preferred their factories to be far from the center were the night wasn't as busy as the day. After he finished somebody off he would often go to an open diner to eat something and wait for the moment the beeper would go off telling him that Shadow striked again.

At first he had thought it to troublesome to put that latex suit on and strip it of besides the fact that it looked ridiculous. But it had its benefits. The most important was that he took care of not leaving any of his bodily fluids at the crime scene. So he wouldn't leave any traces.

There were no traces left every time. Because he had always made sure himself.

For at night he was Shadow.

* * *

A/N: The idea to this story came to me years ago when my ex-boyfriend played a new Batman game. So if there are similarities it's no wonder. ;) Please, tell me what you think about the story.


	2. You can't see me

Chapter 2: You can't see me

… _for I make sure you never will._

Sabaku no Temari, Special Agent of the Suna Bureau ofthe Suna Bureau of Investigation, had solved every case assigned to her in her whole career.

She would make sure she did an excellent job again like every time. In a few years she would have climbed every step of the ladder and would never have to make field work again. Not that she hadn't fun. She loved the nasty places, the always bad weather, the fog, the darkness. She had always been a night owl anyway. But she knew that she would be too old in a few years to run after high ranked criminals, being shoot at and kicking the guy's ass due to her first-class close combat training.

Temari was on her way again to solve a crime or rather a row of crimes.

Driving her Lexus through the rough traffic of Konohagakure she had a fierce argument with her navigation system about when she had to turn right. She hated not being punctual but she couldn't risk loosing her temper if she wanted to own that nasty device long enough to be guided back home. Although she once or twice had already punctuated a hit here and there, it still worked. It just didn't work for her contentment because it couldn't tell earlier when to change lanes.

A little bit unnerved Temari turned around and followed the instructions. She was relieved when the navigation system told her that she reached her destination. Pulling in one of the park slots in front of the headquarter of KGPD she sighed. Due to her former experience with her navigation system she had wisely planned enough time of driving without destination. Now she had still seven minutes.

Checking her appearance in the rear view mirror she was glad to see that her makeup wasn't smeared. She had only to rearrange her hair that she had occasionally pulled on in desperation when the navigation system had told her the fifth time to turn around. 'Why the hell did it have to be a woman's voice anyway?' It was easier to argue with a man.

Making sure her hair was held in her typical four ponytails - Yeah, you heard right: Four! - she grabbed her bag and exited the car. Straightening her gray costume she knew she looked sharp.

She wore stilettos now to give a certain expression. Later she would change her shoes to more comfortable ones. Temari entered straight the building and went for the front desk.

Behind the desk sat two guys, one looking slumped as the other. Their name tags told her that this were officers Hagane Kotetsu and Kamizuki Izumo. The left one had spiky hair sticking out all over his head. He wore a little beard at his chin and had stretched a white cloth horizontally above his nose and across his face. The other one had medium length hair a part of which was draped over one of his eyes. Other than that he wore a bandana whose legitimacy at police Temari wondered about. But she had already heard about the way the KGPD dealt with things as etiquette and missed to obey rules.

The one with the cloth in his face had his feet on the desk and seemed to stumble on his chair as Temari entered the room. "May I help you?"

Temari looked at her wrist watch. She had three minutes. "I have an appointment now with the Chief of Department."

Hagane Kotetsu grinned. "And you are?"

She showed her identity disk to the guy. "Special Agent Sabaku who has no time for games."

He obviously swallowed. "He'll show you." He pushed the other one from his chair. "Go."

Kamizuki Izumo headed deeper into the building looking every meter over his shoulder to see if she was still following him.

Temari smirked self-confidently while she felt gazes sticking to her. It was a good start of an impression. As the man stopped in front of a door tagged with the label "Chief of Department" Temari checked her watch again. 24 second to go. She smiled at him showing her white teeth. "Thank you."

He stepped aside holding the door open for her and was probably glad to close the door behind her.

"Take a seat, please." The woman in front of her wore two blonde pigtails and had brown eyes. She didn't seem to be that old. Temari had checked on her beforehand. If the date of birth was correct the Chief had to be nearly sixty years old. But she certainly didn't look like that.

Tsunade laid her hands together leaning her elbows on the desk. "I have to apologize. Inspector Nara should arrive every moment."

"Is that the Inspector in charge of the case?"

"Exactly. Inspector Nara is very skilled and talented."

Indeed he was. Doing her homework Temari had also already checked on him. He was one of the youngest policeman ever becoming Inspector. Had he solved this case as fast as his other ones he would have seen a rich future as Captain in very near time. His IQ was over 200 points. What was more about him is that his foster father had been a policeman too working in the drug department. He had died three years ago at a car accident.

Nevertheless she was curious to meet this young man. "Is he always late?"

Tsunade chuckled awkwardly. "Well, it's one of his bad qualities. But his talents weigh up to his flaws."

Before Temari could respond someone knocked slowly at the door.

Tsunade straightened up. A smile appeared on her lips. "There he is." With a slightly raised voice she told him to come in.

After the door opened a man with upstanding black ponytail entered the room. He wore a long black coat over a black shirt. He didn't seem creative in terms of color choices.

His face that Temari assumed one could call handsome wore a disinterested expression. Instantly she felt dislike, she didn't like his sloppy posture and his sour look. Taking the chair besides Temari he dropped onto the seat.

Temari noticed how he seemed to ignore her. While she eyed him from the side his gaze hadn't once drifted to her. Irritated she turned her attention to Tsunade.

"Now that you are here we can start. Special Agent Sabaku this is Inspector Nara."

Temari turned to him nodding politely. Her irritation transformed into annoyance when he still wouldn't acknowledge her presence.

Tsunade must have noticed Temari's ill-humor because she hurried to go with the introduction. "Inspector Nara this is Special Agent Sabaku."

He still didn't move his gaze. He even looked like he was daydreaming. Who knew maybe he was.

"She will become your partner in the case 'Shadow'. Please treat her with respect."

He shortly nodded. At least some sign that he listened at all.

Tsunade eyed both of them. Temari assumed her to wonder if the teamwork was a good idea at all. She wasn't the only one in the room to wonder.

"I would suggest that you first exchange information so that you are both on the same level."

He leaned back staring holes into the roof.

When Tsunade cleared her throat he shifted his gaze on her. "Well then are we released?"

Temari instantly didn't like him. 'What an ignorant prick.'

Tsunade nodded. "You may go."

Nara stood up nodding one last time at Tsunade before leaving the room.

Temari must have worn a stupefied expression for in the next moment Tsunade told her to follow him. Breaking out of her amazed state she left the room. "Thank you, Chief Tsunade."

He wasn't walking fast so she caught up to him on the hallway. "Inspector Nara, I'm sorry I have to ask but where are you going?"

He stopped and turned around to her opening the door on his right side. "To my office."

'At least he had looked at me.' Temari shrugged and followed him into the room. Highly intelligent people had always some major flaws. It didn't automatically mean he would complicate the investigations.

She closed the door after entering his office. In opposition to her expectation she was surprised how neat and organized his office was. Unlike him it wasn't messy. The wooden shelves weren't overloaded. The desk was for the most part clear so that she had enough space to work opposite of him.

She watched him taking of his coat and taking a seat behind the desk, the collar of his shirt was disordered, one side sticking up and the other folded. The dark circles around his eyes showed her that he did not sleep enough. Watching him from the door where she leaned on while he scanned her as well from head to toe she thought he was actually very cute.

Smirking at him she walked to the other side of his desk and sat down onto the chair.

He rubbed his neck before she heard him speaking for the third time. "Well, how about to start by what you do not know already?"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "What about you summing up the case? I heard there weren't any traces left on the crime scenes?"

He nodded his head reaching for a folder on his desk. "Yes, that is why media gave him the name 'Shadow'. He appears and leaves unnoticed. There were never any eyewitnesses. The crime scene is always clear apart from the victim's corpse." Turning the opened folder towards her he showed her a photo of the first victim.

She pulled the folder closer. "What about the victims?" Skimming through the folder she saw various pictures of the different corpses. They always lay on their side or on their belly.

He leaned back into his chair. The back rest made a clicking noise. "The victims belong exclusively to the drug scene. They always work for one of the big bosses."

'There is a motif behind this.' She crossed her legs and ran her hand over her skirt. "Who are they?" She noticed his eyes following her movements.

"There are two big circles." He cleared his throat. "One circle around a man named Orochimaru, the other one centers in a crime organization that splits up into a few people of whose we do not know all the identities."

She furrowed her brows in thought. Why would Shadow randomly kill members of two drug rings? "The drug department?"

"The information I have I've got comes from them. I work closely together with Inspector Kakashi and his team. You will meet them eventually." He beat his fingers on the desk before him and yawned.

Temari ignored his inappropriate act. She nodded closing the folder and put it on the desk. "So, basically, someone is out there, killing people of whom we do know only blurry the identity."

Nara nodded.

Temari sighed. "Sounds like fun." She took the folder one more time looking again at the photos. "How does he kill exactly?"

"He cuts the throat with a twelve to fifteen centimeter long blade. Because of the way the body lies on the ground he most certainly grabs the victim from behind which makes it easier to establish sufficient strength to cut the throat. He is a right handed person." Nara bend over the desk to point at close up of a victim. "The cut gets deeper starting from the left side to right."

Temari nodded. She had seen more brutal things. She had seen disgusting and unnerving things. This person seemed like a professional killer. He left no traces and didn't play with the victims. As morbid as it sounded he was just killing them. By using a knife instead of a gun or another firearm he made sure that the process of murder was quiet. Moreover there were no bullets left that could be traced back to him or that he needed to prepare by scratching out its number.

Such a person wouldn't kill randomly. And he obviously knew that his victims were part of the drug circles. Maybe he had been part of them so he had internal information. But then again: Why would he kill in both drug scenes? There had to be a structure.

Temari nodded more to herself than to the Inspector. "The murderer has to have some structure. He won't kill anybody that just crosses his way. We have to draw a chart comparing the chronology of the murders and their connection."

Inspector Nara raised an eyebrow.

She wondered if he hadn't thought of this idea or if he was surprised because she did. "Is something the matter?"

For the first time she saw an expression on his face that was more than slightly indifferent. He chuckled. "Well, I have the feeling that you want to seize the case."

Temari sighed. 'Again this same old story.' She had heard this often enough to know that his prudence was hurt. In all those years she worked as Special Agent she had learned that members of the police were sensitive when it came to their cases. "I don't seize the case."

Instead of lighting the argument he shrugged his shoulders. "Just a thought."

"I don't want any hard feelings to stand between us. It will only complicate the investigation." She held her hand out to him.

He eyed the hand, a smirk began to cross his face. Shaking her hand once he held onto it. "Okay. Then I should tell you right from the beginning that I didn't expect a woman to be send for solving this case."

She almost broke his hand after that comment but let his hand go when she saw fear forming his face. She wanted to show him her strength but promised to herself that she wouldn't hurt that guy like the last one.

He relieved his hand back and controlled it for any fractures.

Temari smirked at him showing her teeth. "So now that we've got that straight we might begin to work on the chart."

He nodded opening a drawer on the right side of his desk. He grabbed something and handed it to her.

It was a beeper.

Resting his elbows on the desk he rubbed his lips against intertwined hands. "You'll be paged if something happens concerning Shadow. Say if another victim has been discovered or -" He sighed. "- if that might be the case Shadow was caught."

Temari raised an confused eyebrow. "You sound disappointed."

He leaned back into his chair sighing and bringing the fingertips together. "The thing has been going on to long for my taste."

She smiled at him. "That's why I am here now."


	3. Although I'm there

A/N: Thank you for the reviews! I'm sorry for the long wait. Working on two multi-chaped fics and one-shots is taking some time. Also I am more invested in another Anime. Not because I don't love Shikatema (It's been twelve years now since I started shiping them) but because it is an on-going story. I don't have to worry anymore about Shikatema becoming canon.^^

How did you like the first part of the animation of Shikamaru Shiden? I had pictured the scene between them after the alliance meeting a bit differently.

Chapter 3: Although I'm there

… _starring at you._

She was very dangerous. She was a threat for Shadow as well as for Shikamaru due to her long legs.

Shikamaru watched her placing photos of the victims on a board. Drawing lines while explaining her thoughts. Once in a while she looked at him to see if he followed. He did as expected and nodded every time.

She was dangerous indeed. Dangerously smart and - Shikamaru thought when eyeing her figure – terrible good looking. One might say she was sexy by the way the costume hugged her body drawing an image of her curves underneath.

An hunger was forming in his abdomen as he watched her. This was going to be a problem.

While she now explained possible connections he thought that he would need to place false traces next time he was his alter ego.

When they were in Tsunade's office he had ignored her. Ignored the likely threat as long as possible. Then he had faced her on front of his office. He was directly fascinated from her appearance. She was sexy indeed, ladylike but on the other side she had a kind of tomboyness wearing her hair in four ponytails. It showed him that she wasn't predictable. This was going to be difficult but a funny challenge. He liked discovering edges and solving riddles.

"The last victim, Ryūdoin Agira, belonged to the circle of Orochimaru." She crossed her arms and bit her lip in thought starring at the picture.

Shikamaru thought she was adorable and he was frustrated for thinking this way. Perhaps it was because he had had no real life since he gave birth to Shadow.

Interrupting his thoughts by sighing she turned to him. "I don't understand this. Why would he kill persons belonging to both big drug circles? It doesn't make sense. Alas, he thinks of himself as savior, a madman in a costume playing the lone avenger or something." She turned her gaze at him. "Why won't you say something?"

Scratching his ear he stopped rocking the chair back and forth like he unconsciously did the whole time. "Well because I've already been there. That is the mystery I stopped at, too. I thought maybe you would come further."

She raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

He pointed at the board she stood at. "I mean with the chart and stuff."

"Do you make fun of me?" She stood with her hands on her hips.

Licking his lips Shikamaru crossed his legs amused. "No. I wouldn't dare too, Special Agent Sabaku."

She seemed to compose herself for she snorted and took a deep breath before she turned her deep blue eyes onto him. What was the color called? Teal? "You don't have anything to add?"

He looked at the clock hanging on the wall above the board. It was time for lunch. "No, nothing. Although I like to ask if we should take a break?"

She snickered. "From what exactly would you like to take a break?"

He smiled at her glibness. "I'll invite you if we can take a break now."

The thought seemed to cross her mind as she licked her lips. "Well, okay. If you pay it won't be that bad to spend my break in company of a misogynistic, lazy and indifferent person."

He rubbed his chin faking thoughtfulness. "How can someone be misogynistic and indifferent at the same time?"

"Because the only time he isn't indifferent is when he is misogynistic." Walking towards him she grabbed her bag and stood in front of the door waiting for him to move.

It was wrong. He shouldn't like her company this much. But he couldn't help himself.

It didn't matter how wrong it was for a while later he ended up in a fast food restaurant sitting next to her.

"Fast food, huh? Scared I'll make you poor or is it just a bad taste in nutrition adding up to your lazy image?"

"No, but I know the owner. They make excellent burgers and an exquisite French dressing. But the most important fact is that they aren't stingy with their portions."

"Hmm." Taking the menu she scanned the few meals before turning to him. "I would like a burger."

A fact he added to the list why he liked her would be that she didn't seem to mind fat. Every time he had been with Ino on lunch she was eating only a salad, which seemed to be frustratingly little.

He yawned missing sleep after his last hunt. He had planned to sleep a while after work before he would stalk his next pray.

Rock Lee, a guy with a hairstyle that looked like a black mushroom and eyebrows that represented caterpillars turned his attention on Shikamaru. Rock Lee was a nice guy although he was to Shikamaru's mind too hyperactive and always too freaking positive. "Hey, Shikamaru. What's up? Anything new?" Then he seemed to notice Special Agent Sabaku. "Oh and you are in company. I'm sorry I didn't introduce myself properly. I'm Rock Lee."

Temari seemed to be amused by his fast introduction. "Sabaku no Temari. Nice to make your acquaintance."

Shikamaru cleared his throat. "We would like burgers. And I would like a coke. Do you want a coke light?"

"No, a normal one would be fine."

Shikamaru smiled at her amused. "Then we would like two burgers and two cokes."

She smiled back. "Sounds good."

After this Lee seemed lost in thought eyeing both of them one after the other. Then he suddenly he punched a fist in the air screaming. From the corner of his eyes Shikamaru saw that Temari was very surprised. "Finally you're dating again. I told you your youth will lead you to better times."

Shikamaru sighed hanging his head low. "It's not a date. We are working together."

It didn't help. No matter what he could have possibly said Lee would ignore it. Instead he brought the food with a grin on his face and winked at Shikamaru who hoped she had not interpreted this in a wrong way. "I'm sorry. He always gets kind of enthusiastic – and really fast in making his own conclusions."

"No problem." She took a big bite of her burger and closed her eyes humming. "This is really good."

He nodded his head and smiled.

"So you had problems dating?" She looked at him from the corner of the eye.

He rubbed his neck. "Well, I didn't like to go out."

"Hm." She ran a delicate finger alongside her glass catching a drop condensed water.

He swallowed. At least she stopped being pushy. "So Special Agent, huh? Seems very exciting."

She sipped at her coke. "Well it is. Unless you can't take matters into your own hands. Hesitate in a wrong moment, you'll have to face the consequences."

Shrugging his shoulders Shikamaru doubted that she had any problem with that. "You seem to be sufficiently though to do a great job."

She smiled at him brightly. "Yeah and I will do this time, too."

He nodded smiling. Ignoring the nagging feeling in his stomach. It had been easy until now to hide his second identity in the shadow of his everyday identity. She might make him invest more effort with her persevere personality.

Her chair scratched the floor when she leaned back. She finished the burger faster than him. "What about you? Are you satisfied being Inspector or are you going to climb the ladder further upwards?"

"It's not so long ago that I was suspended. Now that I'm working again I'm not so sure. But then again when I was younger I didn't want to climb the ladder at all. I would have preferred to have all day free to stare at the sky." Weird he hadn't talked like this to anyone in a real long time. "I'm sorry too much information."

"No. That's fine. You just answered my question."

"I didn't, actually." He scratched his cheek.

She snickered. "No, you didn't."

He just knew at this moment it would be hard not to like her. "So how long are you doing this?"

"I cannot pinpoint it exactly. My father was in the same business, so I've learned everything that was necessary at a young age. Still I haven't caught up to my father. If I had to fight him he would be better than me. His reputation is legendary." She took a sip of her Coke and sighed. "Professionally I'm active since my apprenticeship but I loved to fight crime since I was a young kid. And I always did a good job like I will this time. There will be no difference. I will hunt Shadow down."

The bolt in her eyes was clear as the day. Somehow Shikamaru was envious of her passion although he knew that she was talking about hunting him down.

She finished her coke and put the glass back on the table.

Shikamaru considered to go back to work again but chose to stay just a while longer. "So you are trying to surpass your father?"

Temari chuckled. "He died three years ago."

Slightly taken aback Shikamaru thought about what she said that could have made him assume that her father was still alive. "Sorry. I thought you said-"

"He would be better than me if he was still alive." She didn't blink once.

Shikamaru wondered what her relationship to her father had been. Obviously it hadn't been as good as it had been between himself and Asuma. But there was more to it. Dislike? Anger? Contempt? Hate? Before he could establish another string of thoughts she intervened.

"I think we should go working again."

Shikamaru nodded and pulled a banknote out of his pocket. His gaze crossed over Lee who gave him another thumbs up.

* * *

They didn't work much. With a little bit nagging and suggestive motivation Shikamaru coaxed her into calling it a day early. Tonight he wanted to go out again. But before he could leave and go to catch some sleep for a few hours she asked him to show her a hotel where she could stay at.

There were worse things one could do. That was what Shikamaru figured when he decided that it wouldn't take long to find a suitable hotel for her to stay at. When he climbed into her car he was amazed that she changed her shoes. "Problems driving with those?" He nodded into the direction of her high heels she laid on the backseat.

She raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to give it a try? Driving with them on?"

He chuckled. "I would rather not try it. Neither walking."

"See."

He looked outside the window. They were in the center of the city with skyscrapers blocking the sight. Nevertheless those giant buildings were nicely embedded in a green environment. The city of Konoha always tried to see to it that there were enough grass fields, trees and bushes at every corner. "You have to head down the main road into the north." Then he let his gaze travel over her dashboard and noticed her navigation system. Confused he pointed at it. "You do know you can use them to look for a hotel?"

She send a death glare to the navigation system. "I hate this dumb bastard." She pulled into the right lane.

He chuckled. "Why?"

"First I feel like it fools me on purpose. I do exactly what it wants and after a while it tells me to turn around. I mean, I don't like to drive in circles but it seems to think so."

Shikamaru huffed. "I don't think it is the one to blame for that."

The death glare was now turned to him.

Shikamaru swallowed hardly. "And what's the second reason?"

"Well, I always wondered why it has to be a woman's voice. Is this some kind of macho invention? Is it because all the important guys driving don't want to listen to a guy's voice all day?"

"Would you like to have a man tell you how to drive?"

She laughed. "You're right. I haven't seen it this way before. Probably women sound for both sexes more competent than a man."

Shikamaru smiled. If he was misogynistic she was too much of a feminist. "Turn left at the next junction."

She smirked at him and send him sly gaze from the side. "You think you're clever."

"I do. And I also know another reason why it is a woman's voice." He slightly shifted his body towards her calculating in his head the meters before the next turn.

Her eyes swayed between the street and his. "Enlighten me. Why is that?"

He smiled at her and shrugged slowly. "It is probably because woman have nicer voices."

She hummed. "I like that."

* * *

When he came home Shikamaru wondered why he had been so stupid. He drove with her to the hotel doing her a favor, being nice. But then again, he had forgotten his car was at the police station. This came to his mind only when Temari asked how he would come home. Instantly he had shrugged it off and pretended that he had planned to get a cab. Eventually he did and got his car at the police station.

Shikamaru glanced at the clock above the kitchen table. There was not enough time to get a few hours of sleep. This really wasn't supposed to happen. Now he had only a few hours to locate the next target on the list. The last one, Ryūdoin had worked for Orochimaru. His sons were killed when he disregarded a command by Orichimaru. On top of his problems he had been addicted to gambling and lost much money. That was why he couldn't quit working for him although his sons were killed by his employer. Shikamaru ignored the pang of guilt running through his chest. Shadow couldn't let him live and Shikamaru couldn't save everybody. This guy had been a dead man walking anyway. Ryūdoin had been a leak. Orochimaru would have killed him anyway sooner or later.

The way Ryūdoin's fate turned out, Shikamaru had profited, too. He learned an important fact, which the police would need time to come across. This gave him the opportunity to follow the plan while they wouldn't know where he would appear next.

After some lost traces, Shadow was back in the game. He would find the bastard that killed his uncle.

* * *

The body slumped to the ground, motionless, drained of every trace of life. There was no sound nearby. The rush of the cars on the street was faint. The dark figure looked around. This time it would take hours before someone would find the body. No one walked voluntarily around these dark alleys at night. No one but a drug dealer on the way to his boss.

Shadow was close to completion. Completing his plan. Achieving his ultimate goal.

Making sure not to leave any traces he watched the scene. He disappeared in an alley.

* * *

He lit a cigarette. Looking at the corpse on the ground Shikamaru looked around again for any traces left. The crime scene was clean and his victim, Gantetsu, had told him all he needed to know. Now Shikamaru was waiting for the results of the researches done by the officers. They wouldn't find anything. Shadow had been very successful today.

"What a disgusting habit."

Shikamaru turned around spotting Temari standing with her hands on her hips behind the blockade. He had already wondered when she would come. "It doesn't concern you."

She ducked under the barrier tape and went towards him. "Yeah, but it concerns me if the pureness of the traces is contaminated."

He pulled out his small silver pocket-ashtray showing it to her. "I have this."

She looked shortly at the item in his hands before she walked past. "Then you can put that thing out now because there is always ash falling of a cigarette"

He sighed and stumped out his cigarette in his ashtray. He couldn't put his finger on why he did it, why he listened to her. "Were you lost or why is it that you come so late?"

She seemed to ignore his question and scanned the area. Then she bent over the dead body. "Who is this?"

"I'm waiting for an officer to bring me the info." He only knew her since this morning but he did not need much to see that she was annoyed. It was her first day she supervised the case and there was another victim already.

Ino came rushing to them. "Shikamaru, I have the information." She seemed to notice Temari then. "Oh. Hi, do I know you?"

"I'm Special Agent Temari Sabaku." The two women seemed to examine each other for a while. A behavior Shikamaru had noticed often between women.

Ino snapped out of it and told Temari politely that it was nice to meet her. She turned again to Shikamaru clearing her throat. "I have consulted Sakura on this one. He is – was – a member of Akatsuki. A guy only known as Gantetsu. There is not much more details on his life. He probably changed identity."

"Great, a victim without much background doesn't make this case any easier." Shikamaru sighed putting his hands into his pockets feigning despondency. His eyes drifted over to Temari who stood besides the victim and looked in no way crestfallen. He watched her eyes sparkling mischievously with confidence.

"Given up already? I'm just about to get started."

She was dangerous. Dangerous indeed.

* * *

A/N: R & R. Thanks^^


	4. Standing here

A/N: Sorry for neglacting this fanfic for so long. The poor adaption of Shikamaru Hiden, had me raging for a while. XD

Thank you **nicallrenner** for reminding me about this fiction though. And with the preview on episode 496 I am hyped again! Finally Temari will get to show her feminine side the anime had refused her!

Chapter 4: Standing here

… _invisible to you._

The rain poured down on the windshield. The wipers made space for a little sight every turn they crossed the glass. Temari thought about her childhood. When her head had begun to ache at rainy days, sitting in the back of the car and watching her father staring at the street while driving. She always had had to stay silent for her father couldn't accept senseless talks. So she had watched in silence.

Now, while she was driving, her head began to ache again. Only this time it wasn't because of the bad weather or the stress of shutting up. It was for a different reason. This time the memory of it pulled at her nerves. Funny how the past becomes a matter of the present.

But she couldn't dwell on it too much. She had to focus on her task. The bastard, who everyone called Shadow, had dared to kill somebody on her first day at the case.

He would regret this. Temari felt like being more challenged than ever before. She will get control of the steering wheel driving her to the solution of the case.

Finally Temari reached the parking lot at the police department while she still mused about the events of the past night. The next victim had been someone only known as Gantetsu. The question was, what had this person to do with Shadow? What were the connections? Why did he care about the drug scene so much? Temari figured, it would be the most sensible to work with the drug commission of the Konohagakure Police Department first to get an overview of the drug scene in this city.

Grabbing her bag, she searched for her umbrella.

After she left her car, Temari watched out for a nice place to buy a coffee somewhere near. Studying the case files at night, had left her with only a few hours of sleep. She spotted the place she had been with Shikamaru yesterday and figured it wouldn't hurt to grab a cup of coffee there. The place was nice enough with his oldschool wallpaper and mint green counter. When she arrived, she was surprised to see the place filled with people already at seven o'clock in the morning. Many of the customers were policemen. Still the man behind the counter reacted directly to her. Somehow he looked like Rock Lee but older and wore a more serious look in his eyes. Weird.

"Hello there. How can I help you? Want a little youth?" He grinned at her showing his full set of white teeth.

Flabbergasted Temari wondered, if she misunderstood him. "A little what?"

It was almost impossible but the man's grin grew even brighter and showed her a thumbs-up. "You seem to be stressed. I can see that. The spirit of youth will help you restore your power."

Temari snickered. As if you could give someone a dose of youth. "I believe a coffee will do just fine."

The man looked startled at her rejection. "Oh but -"

"Miss Sabaku nice to meet you again." The interference came from behind the man.

Leaning to the side, she spotted the guy from yesterday, Rock Lee, and wondered who copied whom in this abnormal duo. They had the same outfit, the same haircut and both had big eyebrows. "The pleasure is mutual. What do I have to do to get a decent cup of coffee?"

The older version flinched and started for the coffeemaker, eager to please his customer. "I'll get you one."

Temari smiled. Some people were just as active at seven o' clock in the morning as they were the whole day onward. For her this wasn't the case. Without coffee she was not working. At least not this early in the morning. But today promised to become a great day because she was already able to crack a smile. Although those people here were weird – she couldn't say she already met anyone normal around this place – they were nice nevertheless. "How are you doing?"

"I'm bristling with youth. By the way, where is Shikamaru?" He looked at the empty seat beside hers.

"Well, I wasn't at the police station yet." She slipped a gaze at her watch, musing it was time to get on with her business. "He could be there."

Lee sighed. "He is never on time. Often he comes here before work to buy a coffee and then goes off. I just thought with you in the picture, he would be a little more anxious."

Temari raised an eyebrow being more on alert. "And why would that be?"

"Ever since he started the case – It wears him out. He seems to try hard but can't accomplish anything. This must be eating him up, since his foster father died at the hand of one of the drug bosses." He cleaned the counter absentmindedly.

Temari hummed at this new piece of information. So it hadn't been just a car accident that killed Sarutobi Asuma.

Lee stopped cleaning. "I'm sorry, I probably told you more than I was supposed to."

"No problem." Temari nodded towards the other guy placing the coffee in front of her. "But why is this wearing him off? Shouldn't he be more or less constantly working, if it means so much to him?"

Lee crossed his arms. "He did at first. After being suspended for a while, he worked like a madman to find the one who murdered his foster father but when Shadow came into the game, he seemed to have lost motivation. I mean he had always been a little lazy but now he seems to have depressions for he gets more and more tired."

Temari nodded. She understood this feeling. If you struggle hardly without any noticable result, your ambitions and powers grow weaker – not only physically. She had been there, done that. But she had always had the will to fight and if it wasn't for hope than because of her stubbornness and pride. Her father was murdered, too. She didn't care if she knew who did it. Yet, she still could understand Shikamaru.

"I believe it is better, if you heard it from him." Rock Lee nodded to the direction of the door. "And here he comes. I told you, he got more hope, now that you are there to help him solve the case."

She turned around to the entrance, smiling at Shikamaru. "It seems so."

His eyes scanned the room. He seemed to search someone and when his eyes skimmed over to her, they rested there.

Her fingers began to tingle under his gaze. She grabbed her cup of coffee and wondered what was going on inside his head. His dark eyes seemed to pierce through her.

After a few seconds he slowly nodded towards her and the guy behind the counter. Walking to her side, he grabbed onto the cup of coffee that Lee instantly served him. "Thanks" He mumbled.

Someone didn't seem to be the morning person. Perhaps that was also the reason for his annoying stare. But whatever it was, they had to stay focused on the case.

'At least', she thought, 'he was no dumb asshole who tried to sabotage her in the case. There had been such incidents, when policemen were set on one big case they couldn't solve. Pride and fear of reputation gave them silly ideas. Nevertheless, Temari had always solved the cases. It probably wouldn't have taken as long as it had taken without the police interfering, but she still had finished her job each and every time.

"Shikamaru, you know this youthful lady?" The older one of the duo interrupted Temari's inner thoughts. He looked at Shikamaru sipping his coffee.

The younger one, Lee, whispered something in his ear which seemed to amuse the older one.

Temari turned to Shikamaru. "Who is the older one?"

"You weren't introduced yet?"

Temari shook her head, whereupon Shikamaru responded with, "Well, you have been lucky then. This is Might Guy."

Temari blinked. Had he just called him Might Guy? She looked again at the guy at the counter arguing with Lee, about whatever they could possibly argue about. Perhaps who was the more youth spirited or something. But whoever wanted to be called Might Guy? What psychological problems could he have to name himself like this. His parents – hopefully – didn't name him like this. But watching him making weird poses he seemed to be anything but mighty.

She couldn't help it but smirked. The people in Konoha all seemed to have their very own flaws. She felt his eyes again, burning a hole into her head. Turning around Temari faced Shikamaru. What had she done that he was watching her this intensively?

He broke his gaze away from her and emptied his cup. "We have work to do, don't we?"

She snapped out of her daze, "Yes, we do."

When they left the place, Temari examined him from the side. Nothing. He didn't even smile. Instead of wondering about him she chose to break the silence. "So what are those guys exactly? They look alike but only by style."

He looked at her from the side, his hands in his pockets. "Well, it's a mentor and student thing, so to say. Guy worked for the police when they met. Lee was a lost boy. An orphan without perspective. He was found at the harbor by Guy. He seemed to instantly like, what Guy called his spirits. He wanted to give him a perspective and bought the Diner here. So they both are somehow a part of the police here. Every policeman knows them and respects them for what they accomplished."

Arriving at the entrance of the police station he opened the door and held it open for her. Following he began to smile absentmindedly. "Somehow Lee was so into Guy that he adapted his style."

Shortly she wondered about the smile he wore. Maybe he was reminded of his own foster father. Before she could muse more about him, her trail of thoughts was interrupted by his voice again.

"It's probably the best that could have happened to both of them." He sighed audibly. "But we shouldn't dwell on this matter. I think we have a case to solve."

This Temari knew. It was her most important goal to solve this case and by that save her chance to be promoted. Nevertheless, she could not help but wonder about these people. They behaved around each other like a big family or what was supposed to be the typical family image. They helped and cared for each other. Temari herself never experienced of such tight bonds. So when they crossed the hall they were met by greetings and friendly smiles, she felt misplaced. It was different to what she was used to. But maybe this closeness was also the reason, why the investigations weren't taken seriously enough and murderers such as Shadow run free longer than necessary.

In his office Shikamaru lifted the blinds and stripped off his coat. She did the same going through the case again in her mind. Temari went to the board looking at the structure. It did not make sense to her yet. But there was one more trail to the new victim to add. The bigger the puzzled picture, the easier it was to understand.

As if she had spoken this aloud, Shikamaru stepped to her side and pinned the photo of Gantetsu onto the board. Temari noticed two things when he stood at her side. First thing was, that he was a bit taller than her and the second was the obtrusive smell of his aftershave. Temari tapped with her fingertips on her arm. "Any ideas who did it?"

She heard him chuckle and knew, he would shake his head before she noticed his vague reflection on the board. "Not a clue."

Cases like this always stirred her stamina. She felt eagerness rushing through her as she looked at the various faces of the victims. She believed in justice. And even a jackass like Shadow would sooner or letter feel the weight of the scales.

Whether or not he was a psychopath, she knew there had to be a pattern. "Ever tried to reconstruct his procedure? He has to have a plan. Someone who kills in a professionally and confident way, always has a plan. He is not a madman running around killing without focus."

Temari held her hands in the air as she made circling gestures. Turning around she found Shikamaru staring at her. It made her feel uncomfortable.

"Well, we tried to see through his course of action but the traces always ended into nothing. Like he wants to prevent us from understanding his plan. His actions, the way he picks his victims seems to be arbitrary."

Instead of being tired, his voice seemed steady and professional to her. That was good. She would hate to drag him along all the time. And what he'd said, well, it seemed right but still –. She shook her head. "But it isn't. It can't be."

Shikamaru sighed and shrugged a shoulder. "Whatever you say."

Temari raised an eyebrow at his shrug. "Look, they send me to help you. I'll help you. Whether you like it or not."

"Maybe this isn't important. What if Shadow is ignorant to the fact that Orochimaru plotted against Akatsuki?"

"So Ryūdoin was working for Orochimaru? Shadow killed him and then one of the Akatsuki. This doesn't make sense, if he doesn't have a plan. Either that or Gantetsu was a mole." She crossed the room while she considered another option. Maybe the last kill was a mistake. Or maybe Shadow wanted to distract them from his plan.

"What do you mean? If he killed randomly he would be a madman, right?"

She turned again to him, smiling. "Or pretty clever, knowing we would try to follow his traits of thoughts."

Shikamaru shook his head. "You're saying he kills randomly, so he will not be detected? I say he just kills because he can."

"But what if he has a goal?" She could not believe this guy. He turned every possibility down.

"A goal?" He went to the coffeemaker on his table and started to brew fresh coffee placing too cups under it.

"What if he came to know that Orochimaru split apart from Akatsuki? Maybe he does not kill drug dealers but wants something from Akatsuki so that he now ignores Orochimaru's folksmen."

Shikamaru listened attentively. Temari took this as a sign, that he thought her idea over.

She waited for the sizzling of the coffeemaker to stop. "When we figure out who could be his next victim we can be faster than him and catch him in the act."

He added some milk to one cup and handed it to her. Obviously he had remembered how she preferred her coffee. "Well, I know that. But he seems to know more than we do. That strategy hasn't worked."

"Now I am here. It will work." Temari brushed over her sleeve. "It has to."

"Okay, what if you are right? Does this mean Shadow will now stay away from Orichimaru and his ring. But what for? So they can defeat Akatsuki?" He blew on his coffee. She noticed he had not shaved himself very neatly this morning. With stubs left on his chin he looked older.

Holding her cup in her hands, she went to the board again. "I don't know. We have to figure out his motive."

"Which is not easy because in this milieu, there are many enemies within the rings and connections we do not know about. This is a great network and I couldn't figure out something so far."

"Shadow must be connected to them somehow if he knows more than we do."

"A former member?"

"Could be." Temari bit her lip in concentration. Without any traces left at the crime scene and a bare insight in the structures of the drug rings made this case really complicated. Shikamaru was right but there was always a hidden hint. She looked at him over her shoulder. "Maybe it's time for you to introduce me to the Konoha drug department."

He nodded taking a sip of his coffee. Before he placed it on the table. "Okay, let's go then."

* * *

The Konoha drug commission of the Konoha police department had its own bureau. There were not many people but it looked crowded nevertheless. There were noises everywhere: Typing on keyboards, rustling of paper and some phones ringing in a nasty ring-tone one could not ignore. Temari followed Shikamaru who made his way between the many desks and nodded towards some people, winked at a few women and stopped only for a short, "How are you?"

She appreciated the way he would be distracted. It meant he cared about something. Sometimes she wondered, how serious he was about this case because of his I-don't-care-attitude. But then again she remembered, what Rock Lee had said. It was probably not as easy as it seemed to figure this guy out. Maybe what seemed to be indifference covered an hidden will to solve this case. Well, she was not sure and it was to early to draw any conclusions on the man called Nara Shikamaru.

After they had crossed the room, they stood before the enclosed bureaus. On the door stood the name "Inspector Hatake Kakashi". Shikamaru knocked onto it and entered without waiting for an answer.

When they entered, she saw a gray haired man who sat behind his deck reading a book that covered half of his face. He did not look once up from the book which – as Temari discovered with a shiver – was a spinoff of the "Icha-Icha-Parady" book series. She did not mind people to read books with erotic content, but did not think it was right to do so in public, and especially not at work.

Only when Shikamaru cleared his throat, the guy seemed to notice them. He raised his head. His face was still covered. It was not by the novel anymore but by a scarf wrapped around half of his face. Openly hiding his identity in a police department? Temari figured, nobody cared about rules in this police department.

"Shikamaru, hello." The gray haired man opened a drawer and put the book into it. "And who is the lady at your side?"

"This is Special Agent Temari no Sabaku. She is here to help solving the Shadow case."

The polite glance of the man turned into an hard one. "I see."

Shikamaru shrugged. "I was hoping ,you could provide her with enough background information."

"I will certainly do so. I heard, they found a new one yesterday?" His gaze switched been her and Shikamaru.

Temari crossed her arms mustering this guy cautiously. "Yeah again. Only this time the victim was working for Akatsuki."

"Hm. Well, you should probably learn about the relationship between both drug rings."

"Then tell me." She took a seat in front of Kakashi's desk while Shikamaru did the same besides her.

"Well-"

Suddenly the door burst open. The noise made Temari turn around in alarm. In the door frame stood a grinning blond man with an angry looking woman trailing behind him. The funny pair entered the room while the pink haired woman smacked the guy's head. "Kakashi, you know I thought we wanted to go eating together. Have you forgotten us?"

"Well, I just wanted to leave when those to showed up." He pointed to her and Shikamaru.

"Shikamaru, long time not seen." The man grinned at him earnestly.

"This is Temari no Sabaku. She is a Special Agent assigned to the Shadow case. Miss Sabaku, these are Naruto Uzumaki and Sakura Haruno, my team members," Kakashi introduced.

Temari had already assumed such a connection, seeing the way they dealt with each other. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah you, too." The blond one grinned again. She wasn't sure if he was one of the naiv kind or just one of those people who were smiling all day for no clear reason.

The girl on the other hand, smiled nicely. Perhaps it was earnest but Temari wasn't sure about it. In her field of work she often discovered woman to be often the backstabbing kind. "Nice to meet you."

Kakashi interrupted the silence that began to emerge. "Well, I think we have to reschedule the meal. But you could stay and help me to inform Miss Sabaku about the underground."

Naruto leaned on the cupboard at the left side of the room. "What did you tell her so far?"

"Nothing. Before I could tell her anything you two showed up."

"Well, then it is easy. There are two drug rings. One around Orochimaru and the other one around Akatsuki."

Temari interrupted him crossing her arms. She could not stand time to be wasted. "I know that already."

At her side Shikamaru cleared his throat to draw attention. "Moreover the last victim was not a part from Orochimaru but Akatsuki. It gives us a new riddle to solve."

The three of the drug commission shared a glance that Temari didn't understand. But Kakashi seemed to be aware of her noticing this. "You have to know that we had infiltrated a member of our team as a mole years ago. But he never returned to us. This happened six years ago."

Naruto and Sakura stared of into space. Obviously the special bond in this team had a catch. Temari hoped this would not lead to further complications for the case. She knew it was likely, that they withhold information. Before she could form a word of protest, she sensed Shikamaru's gaze and turned to him.

As if he read her thoughts, he shook his head. She couldn't put her finger on it but she trusted his judgment. It irritated her. She never trusted anyone. Something she learned in early childhood, when her father told her his work was more important for him than her. There was no tie that could justify blind trust. She learned that the hard way.

Kakashi shook his head slightly. "He infiltrated the ring around Orochimaru which was at that time was our greatest case. However, in the last years Akatsuki got more and more into our focus. Sadly, we do not know much about them. The ring is structured between a few different members, approximately ten people. They don't have as much henchmen as Orochimaru has. This is also why it is difficult to get information."

Something irked her. "But there has to be a way to get intel. Otherwise this department doesn't make much sense." She was prepared for the death glares she received from Naruto and Sakura.

"Well, we know Orochimaru was once a member of Akatsuki but we cannot obtain the information. We cannot contact Sasuke. Neither can we send another mole without Sasuke noticing." Kakashi sighed laying back in his seat.

The case wasn't becoming easier as she hoped it would by exchanging information with the drug department. Definitely not easier. "Wow, this seems a tough situation for the department."

Her cell phone started ringing but she ignored the incoming call.

Suddenly the door burst open and a pale looking guy with dark eyes and black hair stood in the entrance with an indifferent look on his face. Kakashi got up in a jolt. "Sai, what you're doing here?"

The guy took a deep breath before he told them what happened in a awkwardly calm way. "Big news! Orochimaru is dead. Sasuke killed him."

* * *

A/N: I hope, the story isn't too difficult to follow.^^


	5. All Alone

A/N: I am sorry, that I didn't update sooner. But hey, I see some new followers! Thank you for following this story.^^ I think our fandom got a small revival after the light novel adaptations within the anime. Yay!

Chapter 5: All Alone

… _ignored by you._

A lot of time had passed since the last time Shikamaru had felt anything. Back then – before Asuma died – he had been happy. Although he did not knew it, did not acknowledge it because he was taking it for granted. Because – just when the world seems to collapse around you – when everything, that was important to you is gone, only then you'll truly realize it: You have been happy.

He watched the rain pour down. The foul weather became a common companion in the last few days. In the seat of his car, Shikamaru lay back and closed his eyes. He just needed time to fix his thoughts.

It bothered him, that he began to care. She would be gone, when the case could not be solved. Maybe he would also fake Shadows death in the end, so the case would be closed. He had collected some parts of evidence, he could leave in the apartment of one of his final victims for this case. And this victim would just disappear. Sooner or later the police would count one and one together and think it had been Shadow when both would disappear around the same time. But even if this plan didn't work, whether he would be caught and sentenced to a death penalty or escape the whole thing unsuspected, she would leave.

So it did not matter, what she thought about him or Shadow. And as long as Shadow existed Shikamaru had to concentrate on his mission. He shouldn't think about her. And he definetly shouldn't think about the last evening.

After Sai had popped the news Sakura and Naruto were in hopeful bliss. Somehow they had rather quicky talked themselves into thinking that Sasuke had killed Orochimaru in self-defence and would return now. Kakashi had been the one to stay level-minded and figured, Sasuke would have returned already, if he had wanted to. Now, Sasuke was no small fish anymore, he would be hunted down by anyone in the drug circle, if he would return to the police. This probably hadn't been his motive. Rather he had killed Orochimaru to clarify his position.

While Kakashi had explained the situation, Shikamaru had been watching Temari. Although her expression had been indifferent, there was this glint of determination in her eyes. He'd known, she wasn't listening to Kakashi. She had figured it out already and was considering the relation to Shadow. Another piece of the puzzle was detected and, although it caused more confusion now, it would lift the mystery. At least that was what Shikamaru could picture, Temari had been thinking.

Shikamaru himself did not knew, if Sasuke's act had anything to do with Shadow or if it would cause trouble. But for now it was a positive stroke of fate. Temari would be busy with figuring out the connection between Sasuke and Shadow, so Shadow had more time to finish his mission without any interruption.

He just hoped that Shikamaru's personal feelings could be restrained and would not interfere, what Shadow needed to finish.

With the wipers turned of the downpour blurred his vision. He took a drag on his cigarette. The cloud of smoke formed a canvas to his memories.

* * *

 _To escape the heavy mood, Kakashi's squad agreed to go out together. After a quick argument between Naruto and Sakura, about where they would go, Kakashi turned to Shikamaru and Temari. "So what do you say? Would you two like to let it rest today and join us for a drink?"_

 _Shikamaru wanted to dismiss the offer instantly like he always did. He shook his head. "I'm sorry -"_

" _Come on Shikamaru!" Sakura smiled at him and grabbed his arm. "Join us, please."_

 _Deep inside he regretted turning his friends down but he had other plans. He faked a yawn."I'm very tired."_

" _You always say that." Even Sakura's pout wouldn't interfere with his plan. The situation was under control. Naruto would try to convince him and Shikamaru would refuse. That would have been it. But then the troublesome woman had to call for attention._

" _Well I'm joining you, even if the lazy butt here is not coming."_

 _Everyone was surprised by that and Shikamaru the most."What are you saying?"_

 _She raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms. A gesture he had become familiar with even in just a short amount of a few days. "Not everyone can be this lazy."_

 _He hated to admit it but she stirred something in him. He felt challenged and although he knew it was wrong, he thought about delaying his appointment for an hour. "I guess one beer won't hurt."_

 _She grinned, showing her teeth at him. A smile that looked childish and odd but stirred something inside of him._

 _Later they found themselves, telling stories and joking with the others. In between the normal conversation they sometimes shared a gaze, when they challenged their wits. Shikamaru was so caught up in the game, he neither noticed the others watching them nor that two hours have already passed._

 _That evening had to be planed for Shadow to get more information on Akatsuki and their members. He had already come to know that Asuma was not killed by somebody from Orochimaru. Moreover he had been told, that it was one of the bosses himself that had Asuma first tortured and then killed._

 _Never minding the plans of Shadow, Shikamaru enjoyed himself. Just when Sai was the first to leave regrets were biting on his consciousness. He felt like having failed his foster father. He grew quiet._

 _Temari, who must have sensed their game to be over, announced, that she was heading home, which finally broke Shikamaru out of his trance. Being raised as a gentlemen, he insisted on bringing her to the hotel._

 _The whole way to the hotel, they were quiet while he steered the car towards the place she was staying at._

 _Arriving at the hotel, he drove into an empty parking lot nearby._

 _He was not sure what to say. She made him nervous. Not only because she seemed to be able to read him like a book."Thank you."_

 _Temari turned her body towards him as much as the seat belt allowed and smiled. "What for?"_

 _Rubbing his arm, he tried to ignore how near their bodies were. "You know, for giving me an opportunity to head home."_

 _She grinned."Are you always this tired in the early evening?"_

 _He shrugged but felt the need to add something. "There is no reason for me to be awake."_

" _Hn. This is no good explanation." There it was again that skeptical eyebrow. Instead of her hard and leveled voice it was the first time he heard her mumble._

" _I know, why you did this." Before she could raise questions Shikamaru might as well turn the subject on something he wanted to discuss anyway._

" _Pardon?"_

" _I know, you spend the evening with them to gain information." He rested his arm on the back of her seat to give her the impression, that she could not avoid this discussion._

 _She brushed her hair out of her face. "Let me guess, it was not my right to do this and you will see to it, that no evidence will get through, if I do something to harm them."_

" _That is not, what I wanted to say. Geez, you are very paranoid, aren't you? I just wanted to say, that they have been through a lot with Sasuke, so it would be nice, if you try not to hurt them too much, especially when there is an alternative trace to follow."_

 _She stared at him a while and then let go an easy laugh."You really are something special."_

 _He smiled at her easy laugh. "You too."_

 _When she became serious again, their eyes met._

 _A moment caught in time._

 _The mood that surrounded them felt unreal._

 _It felt like an electrical buzz traveled between them, locking their eyes onto each others._

 _He was on his way to lean over, when a noise interrupted the scene. Temari had opened her seat belt and opened the door. "Thank you for driving me. I'll see you tomorrow."_

 _Before he was able to comprehend the situation or respond, she was gone._

* * *

Up till now he didn't knew, if it had just been him. Nevertheless he had to be cautious. He shouldn't be swept along something, which would let him lose control.

It did not matter. Not now.

He stubbed out his cigarette.

In the depth of the night he began to undress. Under his clothes he wore his black suit. It had become a ritual. The moment, when he became Shadow was at the early hours of night. He looked in the mirror on more time, before he pulled on his mask. A frightening sight encountered him as he looked into the mirror. No mimic, no expression and only dark eyes that starred back. That's te way it had to be.

Shadow left the car. He climbed the bridge and crawled along the railing. The rain served to his favor, making him barely visible. Fusing with his surroundings he made his way towards his target. He knew of the meeting that had been arranged between Orochimaru and a member of Akatsuki called Sasori.

He hoped that the news of Orochimaru had not spread and Sasori would make his appearance. He knew, it was unlikely for them to have heard the news before the police had the chance thanks to their undercover agents. Yet, there was always the possibility, that Akatsuki had spies within Orochimaru's people. And then there was this small chance that Sasori would already meet with Orochimaru's successor.

He hid in the shadows, when he arrived earlier than the appointed time at the parking lot. He had no opening. There were no cars and only one building. When he approached, he had to make sure he would be unnoticed. He anticipated Sasori to be not alone. It would be tricky to knock out his company. Sasori was one of the head members of Akatsuki. There was the possibility that he was the one who killed Asuma. In case he did Shadow was prepared.

In the corner of the building he crouched down scanning the area. There was no one in sight. He balanced his breathing. He had to stay calm and focused. He closed his eyes and tried to relieve the stress. Concentrating on his environment, he listened for every sound. He ignored the wind whistling and an owl's cry. He heard a noise abrading. He tried to locate the sound. The noise was getting louder. It came from the right side. Shadow slowly moved around the left corner. He recognized footsteps of a second person.

Suddenly the noise stopped.

The atmosphere was thick with tension. Nothing could be heard anymore from the other side of the building. Maybe they had detected him and were waiting themselves to hear a sound.

A bang disrupted the silence. "That Orochimaru. He fooled me. Where is he?"

A quivering voice of an adolescent responded. "I-I- don't know, Sir."

"I don't care for what you know." The dark voice stayed leveled but had a threatening tone.

"Sorry."

"Go look for him."

The youth probably did not know, where to look exactly and stayed quiet.

"Gooo!" The baritone voice drawled.

Pebblse crushing under his feet, the adolescent ran into Shadows direction.

Shadow stilled his body. Trying not to move any muscle, when the youth ran past him, he wanted to wait till he stopped running. Hiding in the building's shadow, he sneaked towards the youth, who looked for the missing person. Not knowing, he would never show up.

The youth sighed. "Damn, I can't go back like this." In this moment Shadows hand reached from behind into his face, pressing a cloth with cyanide against his nose and mouth.

Shadow knew it would be better, if there was no one left to talk, but he could no kill this young guy,who still had a chance to change his life. When the body collapsed, he caught its fall and lay the young man slowly onto the ground, making sure not to produce any unwanted sound.

Time to make an end to it.

He turned around and went to Sasori. The time had come.

He did not hide himself. He did not sneak and when he went around the corner, Sasori turned around to him. "Finally, I thought -"

Sasori mustered the black clothed man, keeping his distance.

"Who are you?"

"They call me Shadow. You probably heard of me." He tried to disguise his voice with a dark, husky sound.

Sasori chuckled. The smooth sound of his voice did not match to the cruel person he was. "So you are the guy that killed our members? You don't look that scary in that outfit."

He didn't move a muscle. "Three years ago. Did you kill a police man?"

Sasori raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about?"

"Just tell me. It was at a raid in a factory at the southern side of Konohagakure. You killed a police man."

"I don't know, what you mean."

"Don't you remember him?" Shadow pulled the photography of Asuma out of the pocket on his hip and showed it to his face.

Sasori laughed. "I never saw that guy. Are you telling me, you are on a Vendetta for that guy?"

"You killed him. Your subordinate Gantetsu told me, that the southern side is your space." He balled his fists.

"You should have done your homework more thoughtfully." His smile changed into a grin. "Well it belongs to me now, but three years ago someone else controlled it."

"What?"

"I had another region at that time. You shouldn't trust your information sources. They seem to be sloppy."

Shadow tried to detect a sign that he lied. "It wasn't you? Then who did it? Who was in control of …?"

"You really believe, I would tell you? This is ridiculous. Even if I personally don't mind letting you kill our members, we need all members to stay leveled with Orochimaru's ring."

"He is dead."

"What? You mean -?" Sasori frowned at him. "Did you do it?"

"It seems you should have done your homework. I didn't kill him but I probably would have sooner or later." Shadow shrugged. "So now tell me who it was, that killed that police man."

"You don't have anything against me."

In a flash he pushed him into the wall, crushing against Sasori's throat with his elbow.

"Who did it? Who controlled the southern side three years ago? Tell me!"

"I won't."

Shadow pushed harder against the throat. He heard Sasori choking. His head grew red in need of oxygen. His muscles relaxed. Shadow leveled the pressure, so Sasori could speak again.

"It was Deidara!"

"Thank you." Having said that, he started to press down on the throat once more. Quickly he finished his target off and let the lifeless body fall to the ground. Then he turned away. He had watched him die. All those times before, he had just cut the throat. He was aggravated now. He had killed before. But he had never watched the victim's life fade away.

Shikamaru ran.

He ran to his car and pulled on his clothes and drove home.

And it was only when he reached home and took the things out of his car that he did notice something was missing. He couldn't find the photograph of Asuma.

So when the police called him to the crime scene, he did not answer immediately. He showered.

When Temari called him on his mobile phone, he feared that they had found the photo. He tumbled with his fingers on the kitchen table.

When he answered her second call, he was relieved to hear her low voice bashing at him. "Where are you? We have another vic."

* * *

When he was a kid, Shikamaru did not know the difference between right and wrong.

When he had done a mistake his mother scolded him. When he had done something right, he had gotten a reward.

When he grew older, he had developed morals, that told him, what was right and what was wrong. Until his parents died in a car accident. He could not comprehend why and what he could have done wrong to deserve it.

When Asuma took him in, he had wanted to be alone. But he wasn't. And he was never again for a long time.

When he ignored his friends, Asuma told him it was wrong to blame others.

When Shikamaru asked him, what he had done wrong, Asuma understood. He told him, that something bad things happen without a course and that all we can do, is doing things right so there would be more good than bad things. This was why Asuma had become a policeman.

When Shikamaru had finished school, he wanted to do things right and stop people, that do wrong things, too.

When he graduated police academy first in his year, Asuma gave him the watch his father had given him, when he became a policeman.

When Asuma was killed for doing things right, Shikamaru did not knew, what was wrong and what was right anymore. He had known, he had to stop people doing wrong things. Now he wanted to punish. Nobody gave him a good answer. Not like Asuma once did. All logic had faded. He had done right things, he had stopped people doing wrong things. But that was not enough.

When he had killed a person, he had known it was wrong.

When he killed another person, he needed to convince himself, that it was the right thing to do.

When he killed again, he created another identity, that could do wrong things to do right. That was the day Shadow was born.

Today, when he had killed somebody and watched him die, Shikamaru was beginning to question the rights Shadow actually had.

* * *

A/N: Don't forget: R&R! Tell me, how do you like it?


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